editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy. Simon's weekly show, Weekend Edition Saturday , has been called by the Washington Post , "the most literate, witty, moving, and just plain interesting news show on any dial," and by Brett Martin of Time-Out New York "the most eclectic, intelligent two hours of broadcasting on the airwaves." He has won every major award in broadcasting, including the Peabody, the Emmy, the Columbia-DuPont, the Ohio State Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and the Sidney Hillman Award. Simon received the Presidential End Hunger Award for his coverage of the Ethiopian civil war and famine, and a special citation from the Peabody Awards for his weekly essays, which were cited as "consistentlyNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Scott SimonSat, 06 May 2017 14:13:12 +0000Scott Simonhttp://wknofm.org
Scott SimonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.In A Tribute To A Plumber, Flushing His Ashes http://wknofm.org/post/tribute-plumber-flushing-his-ashes
90225 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 06 May 2017 11:48:00 +0000In A Tribute To A Plumber, Flushing His Ashes Scott SimonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Frank Delaney made you realize the Irish gift of gab is really a force of nature, the contrivance to survive bleak skies, raw weather, imperialism, hunger and bloody history with the music and the might of words. Frank told us when his book "Ireland" came out in 2005... (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST) FRANK DELANEY: It is a place that is a symbol of David versus Goliath. It is the tiny country that won, that won its independence from a great world empire. It is a place where story is really all that matters. Truth is whatever you want it to be. Possibility is everything. SIMON: He was a writer, broadcaster, best-selling novelist, critic, raconteur and Joyce scholar. And we kept asking back to talk about books, Ireland and even soccer because no one could make more of a ceremony out of a sentence. Our families became friends, and we got to know Frank's warmth and wit across dinner tables, too. He was in the middle of a 25-yearRemembering Frank Delaney's 'Irish Gift Of Gab'http://wknofm.org/post/remembering-frank-delaneys-irish-gift-gab
87574 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 25 Feb 2017 15:34:00 +0000Remembering Frank Delaney's 'Irish Gift Of Gab'Scott SimonWe keep on learning from great lives. On Oct. 16, 1939, just weeks after Germany invaded Poland and Britain was at war, Winston Churchill, who had warned of Germany's wicked and avaricious ambitions, was called out of political isolation to become First Lord of the Admiralty and drafted an essay in which he asked, perhaps himself as much as anyone who would read it, "Are We Alone in the Universe?" The National Churchill Museum in Fulton, Mo., has found a copy of those 11 pages that were apparently given to the museum in the 1980s, and recently rediscovered. It may have been drafted for the old Sunday newspaper, News of the World. The world was engulfed by the war he had foreseen, and would do so much to win. Despite or perhaps because of it, in the fall of 1939, Churchill turned his thoughts to the possibility of other worlds. "I am not sufficiently conceited to think that my sun is the only one with a family of planets," he wrote. "With hundreds of thousands of nebulae, each'Are We Alone?' Churchill Concludes It's Likely Life Circles Other Sunshttp://wknofm.org/post/are-we-alone-churchill-concludes-its-likely-life-circles-other-suns
87322 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 18 Feb 2017 12:54:00 +0000'Are We Alone?' Churchill Concludes It's Likely Life Circles Other SunsScott SimonI am surrounded by Mary Tyler Moores: smart, strong, independent women who have enriched the news business, and, for that matter, our world. When Mary Tyler Moore died this week, at the age of 80, a lot of women in the news business — and women who are lawyers, teachers, accountants, and software engineers — cited Mary Richards, the role she played on The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970 to 1977, as an inspiration. But I think a lot of young men in the news business, myself included, were also motivated by Mary Tyler Moore. Her show made news look like a nice way to spend your life: interesting and rewarding work, in the company of kind, funny people who shared jokes, sorrows, worries and celebrations. The show was created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns. By 1973, 25 of the show's 75 writers were women. Looking back, I think the balance of women and men in the writer's room helped make women characters more compelling and complete. Mary, and her friends Rhoda, Phyllis, and Sue Ann,Remembering Mary Tyler Moore, Whose Sunny Smile Masked Steelhttp://wknofm.org/post/remembering-mary-tyler-moore-whose-sunny-smile-masked-steel
86505 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 28 Jan 2017 15:31:00 +0000Remembering Mary Tyler Moore, Whose Sunny Smile Masked SteelScott SimonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: The great British actor John Hurt has died. He got his start early, said he appeared in front of an audience for the first time when he was just 9 years old. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) JOHN HURT: I felt, you know, body and soul, as it were. But, of course, I mean, I - at that age, I didn't think in terms of being professional. I didn't know anything about it. That happened later. SIMON: He went on to a career that spanned more than five decades and multiple genres. He gave Harry Potter his wand. (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR'S STONE") HURT: (As Mr. Ollivander) I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Potter. SIMON: He ran a dictatorship in a futuristic England in "V For Vendetta." (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "V FOR VENDETTA") HURT: (As Adam Sutler) Tonight, any protestor, any instigator or agitator will be made example of. SIMON: And memorably, he was a victim in "Alien." (SOUNDBITE OF "ALIEN" FILM) SIMON: OuchRemembering Actor John Hurthttp://wknofm.org/post/remembering-actor-john-hurt
86498 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 28 Jan 2017 13:17:00 +0000Remembering Actor John HurtScott SimonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit NPR . SCOTT SIMON, HOST: In addition to the main demonstration in Washington, D.C., there are other marches happening across the country and outside of the United States, Boston, Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, London, Sydney and more. We go now to Raleigh, N.C., where Jess Clark of member station WUNC joins us. Jess, thanks for being with us. JESS CLARK, BYLINE: Yeah, no problem. SIMON: What's the day been like in Raleigh? CLARK: Well, there have been a lot of people here - a lot of people - I would say definitely several thousands. The march started around 10:30 in the morning. And police had planned for it to be a sidewalk march, actually, where the crowds would only take up the sidewalk. But by noon, there were still people filling up all lanes of traffic, pouring into the main Moore Square, filling up that green space. So definitely several thousand people - just a lot of - like, huge crowds. SIMON: Yeah. AndIn North Carolina The Women's March Continues In Raleighhttp://wknofm.org/post/north-carolina-womens-march-continues-raleigh
86260 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 21 Jan 2017 19:02:00 +0000In North Carolina The Women's March Continues In RaleighScott SimonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We've been covering what's turned out to be a massive march in Washington, D.C., the Women's March. People are gathering for similar marches around the country and even around the world. We turn now to Boston. WBUR reporter Deborah Becker is standing by. Deborah, thanks for being with us. DEBORAH BECKER, BYLINE: Hello. Well, thanks for having me. SIMON: I've seen pictures - looks like an enormous crowd there in Boston. BECKER: (Laughter) It is an enormous crowd, and you can barely walk anywhere or move. It is shoulder to shoulder. It's really quite amazing, and, of course, a sea of pink - many folks wearing those pink cat hats that are sort of the unofficial symbol of this women's march today. SIMON: Who can you see in the crowd? What kinds of people are there? Who have you met? BECKER: All kinds of people, really - a lot of women, obviously, but men, children. Many folks from indigenous tribes in Massachusetts are here and areCrowds Unite At Women's March In Bostonhttp://wknofm.org/post/crowds-unite-womens-march-boston
86257 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 21 Jan 2017 17:58:00 +0000Crowds Unite At Women's March In BostonScott SimonThere is a funeral service for Ashley Theriot in Pensacola, Fla. today. She was just 32, and a gifted freelance writer. The death of a vibrant young person is a tragedy in all ways. But the person who dies can leave a gift for someone else to go on. That can be a flesh and blood blessing. Ashley Theriot returned from Colombia on Jan. 1 and began to have seizures. She turned out to have a rare tear in the artery of her brain stem. She had served in the Peace Corps 10 years ago, in Ukraine, and was still pals with two friends she made there, Lea Kumayama and Maggie Saalfield. They now live in Brooklyn. When she heard this terrible news, Leah Kumayama came to Ashley's side in a hospital in Alexandria, Va. She was with Ashley and her family when she died. Leah called their friend Maggie, back in Brooklyn, to tell her the tragic news. And Maggie Saalfield steeled herself to ask what sounds like a pretty nervy question, especially over the phone: Would Ashley's family donate a kidney toThrough Organ Donation, One Woman's Death Gives Life To Othershttp://wknofm.org/post/through-organ-donation-one-womans-death-gives-life-others
85995 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 14 Jan 2017 14:17:00 +0000Through Organ Donation, One Woman's Death Gives Life To OthersScott SimonCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit SCOTT SIMON, HOST: The Trump transition team is asking who at the Department of Energy has been involved in talks on climate change. It's part of a long questionnaire that was sent to employees at the agency, and it's raising concerns that specific workers may be targeted as the next administration seeks to rollback climate policy. NPR's Jennifer Ludden joins us. Jennifer, thanks for being with us. JENNIFER LUDDEN, BYLINE: Hi, Scott. SIMON: What's in this questionnaire. LUDDEN: Well, there's 74 questions in all. They're really wide ranging, but a number of them focus on climate. So one question wants to know who was at the United Nations climate talks over the past five years - both employees and contractors. One question says which programs at the Department of Energy are essential to meeting the goals of President Obama's climate action plan. And then there's a question - they want to know who developed this thing called the social cost ofTrump Team Asks Energy Dept. Employees About Involvement In Climate Change Workhttp://wknofm.org/post/trump-team-asks-energy-dept-employees-about-involvement-climate-change-work
84743 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 10 Dec 2016 13:43:00 +0000Trump Team Asks Energy Dept. Employees About Involvement In Climate Change WorkScott SimonI always had a wonderful time in Fidel Castro's Cuba, and usually wound up feeling bad about it. The island is beautiful, the people even sunnier: warm and friendly, especially to Americans. The responsables — government minders — assigned to each reporting crew would tease me about being from Chicago. "Your mobsters used to run this place," they'd say. "Sam Giancana, The Godfather. You made our men bellboys and our women prostitutes." And then they'd treat you to mojitos and fabulous music. But the more you could eat or drink, well, you began to understand that the good time a guest could have was not possible for almost any Cuban. Cuban society is strictly demarcated between foreign visitors and Cubans. Visitors can eat good food in plentiful amounts, sleep in comfortable hotels, and spend money. Most Cubans can't. The minders would make sure you met Cubans who spoke of their love and admiration for Fidel, as the man who had made Cuba great by standing up to imperialism. I wasSimon: Easy To See Why Some Loved Fidel Castro's Cuba, Many More Fledhttp://wknofm.org/post/simon-easy-see-why-some-loved-fidel-castros-cuba-many-more-fled
84257 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 26 Nov 2016 14:28:00 +0000Simon: Easy To See Why Some Loved Fidel Castro's Cuba, Many More FledScott SimonI know baseball is not real life. While Chicago's streets teemed with loud whoops and waving banners as the Cubs won their first World Series in 108 years, 18 more people were killed over two days on the south and west sides of the city. The number of homicides in Chicago has surged past 600 this year. 2016 could be the city's deadliest year in nearly 20, and the people in those afflicted neighborhoods, usually a long way from Wrigley Field, will remember this year more for their losses than any World Series victory. And while the Cleveland Indians played valiantly, no victory can do much to roll back the unemployment, crime, and decay that have shrunk their city to about a third of what it was when it last won the World Series in 1948. But a lot of people, including me, still put a lot of blood, toil, tears and sweat into baseball. A great team can lift up a city. People who ordinarily pass each other every day tip the baseball caps that seem to sprout on so many heads. We trade2016 World Series Brought Welcome Levity To Weary Citieshttp://wknofm.org/post/2016-world-series-brought-welcome-levity-weary-cities
83504 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 05 Nov 2016 13:16:00 +00002016 World Series Brought Welcome Levity To Weary CitiesScott SimonI have a special respect for political losers. Losing can reveal a candidate's character in a humbling, vulnerable moment. An Ohio politician who lost a race for governor once explained to me that most politicians are used to being popular. They were often class officers and top athletes as kids, who become lawyers, professors, or business owners. They get used to people listening to them, and laughing at their jokes. "So when thousands or millions of people who know you by name reject you," the Ohio pol told me, "that's an earthquake. You want to shout, 'Impossible! You know me! I'm popular. There's some mistake!'" Losers don't get inaugural balls or government limos. But they can lose with a grace that honors the decision of the people, even — or especially — after a contentious campaign. Congressman Mo Udall used to tell of an old Arizona pol he said once conceded defeat by saying, "The people have spoken — the bastards." Adlai Stevenson was a little smoother in 1952 when he lostGraceful Losers Triumph, In Spite Of Defeathttp://wknofm.org/post/graceful-losers-triumph-spite-defeat
82993 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 22 Oct 2016 14:46:00 +0000Graceful Losers Triumph, In Spite Of DefeatScott SimonWhat's in a name? The Chicago White Sox, mired in in the middle of the American League Central division, announced this week they've signed a 13 year deal to rename the park where they play Guaranteed Rate Field. Guaranteed Rate is a home loan company, headquartered in Chicago. But as Rick Morrisey wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times , "Guaranteed Rate Field. You're kidding, right? Was Year End Clearance Sale Stadium already taken?" Ridicule broke out on social media. I sure joined in. What's next in corporate stadium names? The Viagra Dome? Preparation H Park? Prozac Stadium? Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Ex Lax Field! But maybe some of us are being just a little fussy. Most ball parks today bear the name of a company that's paid for it to be displayed there. Those of us who treasure the the lineage of ball park names should remember that Boston's Fenway Park and Chicago's Wrigley Field, those most cherished and unchanging stadiums, began as corporate names more than a century ago.Fear Not, White Sox Fans: You'll Get Used To 'Guaranteed' Fieldhttp://wknofm.org/post/fear-not-white-sox-fans-youll-get-used-guaranteed-field
81003 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 27 Aug 2016 13:01:00 +0000Fear Not, White Sox Fans: You'll Get Used To 'Guaranteed' FieldScott SimonCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Rep. Curry Todd Charged With Campaign Sign Theft; Opponent Mark Lovell Posts Bailhttp://wknofm.org/post/rep-curry-todd-charged-campaign-sign-theft-opponent-mark-lovell-posts-bail
80187 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 06 Aug 2016 13:23:00 +0000Rep. Curry Todd Charged With Campaign Sign Theft; Opponent Mark Lovell Posts BailScott SimonWhat would you consider "the best selfie ever"? A shot of yourself alongside the pope, the president, Angela Merkel, Lin Manuel Miranda or Steph Curry? This week Ben Innes, a health and safety auditor from Leeds, Great Britain, used those words to send out a photo in which he posed with the man who hijacked his plane. The hijacker has what looks like a suicide vest of explosives strapped to his chest. Ben Innes is grinning. "I'm not sure why I did it," Mr. Innes told The Sun . "I just threw caution to the wind while trying to stay cheerful in the face of adversity. I figured if his bomb was real I'd nothing to lose anyway, so I took a chance to get a closer look at it." The bomb was not real. The hijacker who took over EgyptAir MS181 turned out to be a troubled man who wanted to attract the attentions of his ex-wife, and not a terrorist from ISIS, or al-Qaida. He is now in custody. But any person who hijacks an airplane terrorizes people. The hijacking lasted six hours. The plane,'Hijack Selfie' Photo Subject Sought Fame In Dangerous Circumstanceshttp://wknofm.org/post/hijack-selfie-photo-subject-sought-fame-dangerous-circumstances
75145 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 02 Apr 2016 12:15:00 +0000'Hijack Selfie' Photo Subject Sought Fame In Dangerous CircumstancesScott SimonCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit Transcript SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Soldiers must face many dangers - exhaustion, battle, loneliness and MREs. MREs are the vacuum-packed food that soldiers eat on deployment. The initials mean meals ready to eat, but over the years, soldiers have developed many alternative explanations, including meals refused by everyone, meals rejected by the enemy and lots of other permutations best left for conversations in a bunker. I've eaten lot of MREs while war reporting. Most people don't join the Army and expect to be fed by Nigella Lawson. U.S. Army dietitians really seem to do their best to provide for a range of tastes, from standard American comfort food to Latin American and Asian specialties. But soldiers always wind up comparing the beef stew to dog food and the meatballs with marinara sauce to something the dog left behind. Now the U.S. Army is asking for volunteers to eat MREs and nothing but, for three weeks. They want to see what an unrelentingArmy Seeks Brave And Willing Eaters To Test Its MREshttp://wknofm.org/post/army-seeks-brave-and-willing-eaters-test-its-mres
71495 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 02 Jan 2016 13:06:00 +0000Army Seeks Brave And Willing Eaters To Test Its MREsScott SimonFrank Sinatra was born a hundred years ago today. Even if you think his music just isn't your music, it's hard to get through life without uttering what I'll call a "Frank Phrase" from one of his songs at telling times in our lives. "So set 'em up, Joe ... Fly me to the moon ... I've got you under my skin ... My kind of town ... I did it my way ... I want to wake up in a city that doesn't sleep ..." And that wry elegy for lost loves and lonely nights: "So make it one for my baby, and one more for the road." Sinatra called himself a saloon singer. He ran with mobsters and could be a bully; he coveted other men's wives and could be brutish to his own, and other women and men. But today, I'd like to recall a moment when Frank Sinatra was truly magnificent. Not in Las Vegas or New York, New York, but Gary, Indiana. November, 1945. A lot of white students had walked out of Gary's Froebel High School when it opened up to black students. A citizens' group asked Frank Sinatra to come to their'One More' For Sinatra, Who Took A Stand In Gary, Indianahttp://wknofm.org/post/one-more-sinatra-who-took-stand-gary-indiana
70803 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 12 Dec 2015 13:04:00 +0000'One More' For Sinatra, Who Took A Stand In Gary, IndianaScott SimonJonathan Pollard is out of prison, if not totally free, after 30 years. He's on parole for another five years , during which he'll have to wear a GPS ankle bracelet, won't be able to give interviews, or leave for Israel, where he is considered a hero, and says he wants to live. He also won't be able to use the internet without U.S. government scrutiny. Someone will point out: can any of us? To see the images last night of a pale, pudgy man with long white hair and a beard walking in and out of a New York courthouse might remind us that real spycraft rarely involves Aston-Martins and martinis. In 1986, Jonathan Pollard and Anne Henderson Pollard, who was then his wife, thought they had a deal. Jonathan Pollard, who had been a Naval intelligence analyst, cooperated with the FBI and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to give national security information to a foreign government: Israel, an ally. Federal prosecutors called for a "substantial" prison sentence, but not life. There wasThe Long Saga Of Spy Jonathan Pollard Continues Even After His Releasehttp://wknofm.org/post/long-saga-spy-jonathan-pollard-continues-even-after-his-release
69981 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 21 Nov 2015 14:09:00 +0000The Long Saga Of Spy Jonathan Pollard Continues Even After His ReleaseScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit Transcript SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We've been reporting this morning that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the terror attacks that have struck Paris last night. The Paris prosecutor Francois Molins spoke to reporters just a few moments ago. NPR's Peter Kenyon is in Paris, where he's monitoring events. Peter, thanks so much for being with us. PETER KENYON, BYLINE: Hi, Scott. SIMON: And the prosecutor gave a timeline of events as they've been able to put it together. To recap much of what happened last night, what did we hear? What did you notice? KENYON: Well, the main point of this was to reinforce the notion that these attacks - these terrible attacks - were a very well-coordinated effort. The prosecutor cited the identical weapons, Kalashnikovs; identical explosive belts being worn by many of the attackers and a couple of black cars that would pull up at a restaurant or at a concert scene and, all of a sudden, the carnage would begin. And inFrench Prosecutor Lays Out What Investigators Know About Paris Attackshttp://wknofm.org/post/french-prosecutor-lays-out-what-investigators-know-about-paris-attacks
69685 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 18:48:00 +0000French Prosecutor Lays Out What Investigators Know About Paris AttacksScott SimonCopyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit Transcript SCOTT SIMON, HOST: We're following to news from France today after a night of devastating violence in Paris. Coordinated attacks killed more than 120 people in six separate attacks, leaving the city really and on edge. A Parisian man spoke with France 24 today. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Through interpreter) I've never seen the city like this. It's scary. Everyone is worried. No one is looking at each other. SIMON: NPR will continue to update you on events in France as the investigation develops. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.'I Have Never Seen The City Like This'http://wknofm.org/post/i-have-never-seen-city
69670 as http://wknofm.orgSat, 14 Nov 2015 14:46:00 +0000'I Have Never Seen The City Like This'